Vehicle wheel



Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,050

'A. 1.. PUTNAM VEHICLE WHEEL Filed April 7 1924 nvenlfoz Alden Z fiznam Patented Dec. 28,1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca.

AIiDEN L. PUTNAM, F LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

MOTOR WHEEL CORPORATION, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICH- IGAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Application 'flled April 7,

' 6 state of the art it is usual infront wheel brake constructions to make the connection between the brake drum and the hub independent of the connection between the rim and hub. This in the case of disk wheels 10 increases the amount. of metal and consequently the weight of the construction. It is also quite common to provide the wheels with demountable rims involving further material and added Weight.

It is the object of the present invention to simplify the construction and reduce the weight by utilizing the brake drum to the extent of its radius as the sole connecting means between the hub and the rim. It is a further object to form the remainder of the connection between the hub and the rim by means demountably secured to the drum and thus to dispense with the use of a demountable rim. Still further, it is an object to greatly lighten the structure by forming this demountable connection of spoke memhers, dispensing with the continuous web oi a disk wheel. Thus the. complete structure combines all of the advantages of constructions heretofore used in a simpler, cheaper and lighter structure.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section through a portion of the wheel of my improved construction;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

A is a hub of any suitable construction provided with a radially outwardly extending flange B. G is a brake drum having a radially inwardly extending Web D, preferably fashioned with outer and inner portions D and D in parallel planes and an obliquely extending portion D connecting the same.

The portion D is secured to the flange B by bolts E or other suitable securing devices. F is a rim preferably one constructed for direct engagement of the tire, and G is a connection etween said'rim and the outer portion D of the brake drum.

To permit of demounting the rim F the member G is. detachably secured to the brake drum, preferably by the bolts or studs H and the clampin nuts I. Also the member G is preferably ormed of a series of radial- 1924. Serial No. 70%,826.

ly extending spokes, which at their inner ends are secured by the bolts H andnuts I and at their outer ends are rigidly attached to the rim. As specifically shown, the spokes G have a portion G parallel to the portion D and clamped thereagainst by the bolts H and nuts I. Extending outward from the portion G is an obliquelyextending portion G which is preferably of tapering cross section, and at its outer end the portion G: is bent laterally to lie parallel at Gr to the rim to which it is riveted or otherwise secured. The bend G between the portions Gr and G is reinforced by lying adjacent to the inwardly extending groove portion of the rim F,,which forms the means of se curing the detachablefiange F With the construction described-the web D of the brake drum C forms not only the support for said drum, but also the sole connection between theihub and the outer member G. The oblique portions D and G twice cross the central plane of the wheel and serve to laterally strengthen the same. However, there is nothing to prevent lateral 'fle'xing of the wheel under abnormal stresses and its recovery due to the resiliency of the material used.

In exchanging tires the rim F maybe readily demounted by detaching the nuts I and disengaging the spokes G from the bolts H. As these spokes are very short and occupy only a fraction of the space between the drum and the rim, they add very little to the weight of the rim over that of the usual demountable construction. Thus the structure as a whole is lighter, simpler and cheaper to build than the usual constructions of Wheels for 4-wheel brakes.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a hub, of a brake drum having a web portion directly secured to said hub, the

outer portion of said web being oiiset with) reference to the plane of impact, a rim', andgl means inclined to the plane of impact extending between said rim and the outer'por-"*" tion of said web demountably. secured. to"

the latter.

2. In a wheel, the combination with a hub, of a brakedrum having a web fashioned to form portions in parallel planes connected by an obliquely extending portion, a flan e on said hubto which the inner of said p lel portions is secured, a rim and members inclined with reference to the axis of the wheel and each extending inwardly from said rim terminating in a portion parallel to the outer of said parellel portions of the web, and means for tlinlfllllltflbly securing said last mentioned parallel portions to each other.

3. In a wheel, the combination with a hub, a rim and ebielie drum, of members extending inwardly from. said rim demountably secured to said brake drum, and a portion integral with said brake drum extending radially inward and connected to said hub, said portion forming the sole conneetion between said. members extending); inwardly tron: the rim and the hub and having oppositely extending off-sets at said points of conneetia ,4. In a wheel, the eoinbin ation with :1 hub, a brake drwii; and rim, of members extending; inwer lly from said rim deinountably secured to said brake drum, and a web integral with brake drum extending inwardly from said demounteble connection and forming the sole eonneetion between the same and the hub said web having oppositely off-set portions at said points of connection.

5. In a wheel, the combination with e hub, a brake drum and a rim, of a Web integral with said brake drum extending r? dzelly inward and secured to said hub, and a series of spokes extending radially inward from said rim and secured to said brake drum.

6. In a wheel, the combination with e hub, a brake drum and a rim, of a web extending between said drum and hub and secured to the latter, and a series of redial spokes ex tending inward from said rim and dereonntably attached to said hi ire drum.

In testimony whereof "l atlix my signatire .ejl lliiilfl L. PUTNAB; 

